Aspiring councilor, 2 others ambushed in Zamboanga del Sur town

INQUIRER FILES

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — A candidate for Sangguniang Bayan member in Pitogo town, Zamboanga del Sur, and two companions were wounded in an ambush on Tuesday night.

Pitogo Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Richard Aliserat said the incident happened at 8:30 p.m. in Barangay Upper Panikian in Pitogo.

He identified one of the victims as Falconeri Buton, village chief of Upper Panikian who is running for municipal councilor.

Aliser said the victims suffered gunshot wounds “on their lower extremities.” and were rushed to the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center here for treatment.

Buton is running under the ticket of reelectionist Pitogo Mayor James Yecyec.

Col. Bonifacio Arañas Jr., Zamboanga del Sur police director, disclosed that Falconeri suffered a gunshot wound to the left thigh, while one companion, a certain Jerry, suffered a gunshot wound in his lower back, and his second companion, Janise, a gunshot wound at his left leg.

Their two other companions were unharmed.

The five of them, all residents of Pitogo, were on their way home from a political rally at Barangay Poblacion when waylaid.

Police investigators said the suspects were believed to have waited for the victims along a dark, grassy roadside area, and immediately opened fire using high-powered firearms when their vehicle passed by.

Emergency responders immediately brought the wounded to Pitogo Rural Health Unit before transferring them to Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in Pagadian City.

The police investigators recovered 29 fired cartridge cases at the scene—nine from an M14 rifle (7.62mm) and 20 from an M16 rifle (5.56mm).

The Pitogo police launched a hot pursuit operation against the still unidentified gunmen.